Romeo and Cinderella
by DenizenofTwilight
Summary: "I'll be your safe harbor, if you look at me dead in the eyes. For only in a post-apocalyptic world, do relationships truly become tied." A futuristic/AU Edward and Bella story, with updates everyday. Canon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

He sits with Bella on the porch swing, as the two of them hold hands, and continue to drift.

Eventually, Edward knows that he'll have to let Bella return to her job...

But for a moment, as the bronze haired boy looks over at the slight girl, and sees the fun alight in her eyes—resting above the freckles that dust her cheeks—Edward is hit with the desire to have a little more adventure with Bells, before she's taken from him again.

And so beginning to kick his legs up and down the slightest bit, Edward attempts just that.

And as the swing begins to rise and tilt even faster, the two become just as reckless and fun as they once were... if only for a moment.

**Author's Note: An AU mystery story that I'm working on, and will hopefully be updating daily. For now, each chapter will only be one-hundred words each (as I'm trying a new writing style), but that _may_ change in the future. IDK.**

**Anyway, I hope you all will be able to enjoy this story (and even if you're not the biggest Twilight fan, I think I'll be writing this in a way that anyone can—hopefully—get into it). I'd say more, but this AN is long enough as is. LOL.**

**REVIEW!**

**Later!**

**-Shan**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Bella smiles to herself, as she remembers how she and Edward had done a flip on the swing the day previous.

When they'd been children, Bella and Edward had tried their hand at as many extreme sports as they were able. And as such, there was nothing Bella held closer to her heart, than the moment she realized she could fall backwards—like the swing might—but not be knocked off her feet in the process. In that, Bella had been able to challenge fate and gravity itself, but not anymore. Not anymore.

Now, she's stuck in a job she was never meant to have, but is working at all the same...

Her career had once been about quarantining disease, but one time—when she'd exacted a dome to separate the infected land from the pure—something else was triggered. As the various small diamonds that had made up the round barrier were shattered, so were the wards that protected their home planet shattered. And now...

Now Bella works to fix the mistake she'd made: the mistake she can't understand at all, and can only begin to guess at how to repair. And with each day, even as she tries, the safety of the world is stolen more and more.

And though Edward is the one who has gone insane, Bella thinks she might well kill herself from the voices of loathing and regret in her own head.

Her only saving grace is Alice.

**Author's Note: I went way over my "word limit" in this chapter, but oh well.**

**Anyway, hope you guys aren't too confused. More will be explained later, guys. I promise:)**

**Also, that thing I'm talking about—where you can flip over a swing, without falling off of it, when it tips backwards—is possible. My friends and I used to do it all the time. Mainly, it's supposed to show that Bella used to be fun and adventurous (like in canon), but now for story reasons, she's more serious and weighed down with responsibility. Yeah...**

**Also... I'm so excited about "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones" DVD coming out tomorrow. Woot! Is anyone else here going to be picking it up? Be sure to let me know!**

**Welp, see you all tomorrow:) And thank to those supporting the story thus far. I truly appreciate it^_^ And everyone else, don't be shy. LOL. I don't bite, I swear (and I reply to every review I receive).**

**-Shanna**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Bella can clearly see the look of disapproval in Alice's eyes, as the two girls sit together during Bella's lunch break, and take just a moment to dream and be hopeful.

"So..." Bella ventures, as she leans forward on the piano being used as a table (and thinks for a moment about knocking Alice's nail polish off but doesn't). "Have you... have you found anything out, via your aura sensing powers? Or-"

At that, Alice seems to finally find ample reason to look up from her bedazzled nails, and she looks at Bella with narrowed eyes, as she says, "'You are more than his friend, You're his other, more exciting self—his way out of reality and to all the worlds beyond.'"

Choking back her surprise that Alice has somehow gotten a copy of "Bridge to Terabithia", when most books have been lost or even banned in their society, Bella instead takes a deep breath, and focuses on what Alice is really saying through her words. "You're relating Jess and Leslie to Edward and myself, Alice. But I'm not responsible for his mental breakdown. Edward and I... we're not even that close anymore. There's no way we could be influenced by each other's state of mind anymore, all right? There's just no way..."

And as the wind picks up—and the guards that Alice and Bella had just evaded note their presence again—Bella knows that her and Alice's moment of normality will end just as soon as it started.

But even then, Alice finds the time to shake her head and explain that, "There are more things connected than you even know, Bella. And all _I _know is that you somehow broke the wards that protect our world with sheer curiosity. And Edward... Edward clings to you just as curiously. Think about my brother for me, Bella. And think about the real reason you spend time with me, and why you think I can solve everything that you can't."

And just as the lightning strikes over head, Alice Brandon takes her leave, and is just as gone as the name she'd once shared with Edward: Cullen.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Bella! Bella! Look at this! They said that I should have some gaps between my teeth, so that they grow in properly, but I've decided to help the dentists along, by wedging straws between my teeth every now and then. See?"

"...That's great, Edward," Bella says to her once best friend, as she sits down beside him at their usual spot, and decides that maybe Alice was right: There's much and more that she needs to think about, and she-

She should have never given up on Edward, even in having decided to live a life of practicality, Bella still knows she shouldn't have let him go.

If only there were a way to reach back into the past, and to bring back the Edward who had been her best friend, Bella muses sadly to herself (but feigns a smile for Edward's sake, all-the-while).

But knowing all too well how hard trauma is to tread, Bella quickly notes the sad truth that she can't to anything for her favorite redhead, but revel in the brilliance he still has even amidst insanity, and to-

And to ignore the fact, that the Archers had seemingly gone missing. If only...

If only Edward Sr. hadn't died, and Elizabeth Masen hadn't gone missing. Maybe things would have been different then, Bella decides once again (and perhaps with her circling thoughts, she is going crazy, also).

And though she knows it's not much, Bella still promises herself and Edward that: "I'm going to get you out of this place, Edward. We could go to Mailyou, like he always used to, and if not there... Charlie's house is always open. Yeah... things are going to be great... and just simply amazing."

And though Bella's sure she imagines it, she thinks she might see Edward's eyes crinkle upward, in the slightest bit of gratitude.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

If Jacob were to be honest with himself, he would admit that he doesn't much value being brought into the crazy world that belongs to Edward and his adoptive family, the Cullens. True, he supposes he likes Bella Swan well enough, but he still doesn't exactly value that the terrain around the garage he works in... Well, that it seems to disappear more and more everyday.

And as his auto repair business is situated on an island of sorts, Jacob knows it wouldn't take much at all for the one silver-lining he was able to latch onto in this mess, to dissipate just as fast as smoke.

Though, of course, he knows erosion isn't Riku's true problem at all: It's the protective fields Bella somehow knocked down from them.

Dusting his grease soaked hands on to a towel, Jacob decides then and there that he'll ask Mike Newton-Bella's former number-one-fan—if he has any idea what she might have done to cause such a thing to occur, but since Jacob knows that _Alice_ is Mike's new obsession of choice... he's not sure at all that he'll get the answer he seeks.

And just when Jacob thinks this, on the TV screen above him, and as clear as a beacon—a news program with Jacob's father on it comes to life. And as the wheelchair-designated-man looks at all those around him, with sadness that seems off for a cheerful soul like him, Jacob somehow knows immediately what's going on:

The Archers—who had been a part of Riku from the beginning—and hunted to keep men safe (and if it came down to it, even used the enchanted strings on their bows to tether the world together) had all dissipated into the smoke, or rather… the ether.

As eerie silence envelops Jacob from all sides, he thinks he might just know how Bella felt, via her own mistake before. And he promises himself that he'll never jinx something, by making an analogy, again.

**Author's Note:** **Sorry I didn't update yesterday, guys. Something came up. But here's yesterday and today's chapters uploaded. I hope you enjoyed:)**

**And please, PLEASE review. If no one's reading this, I might just quit this story, which is sad; I have a lot of cool things planned for this one.**

**Btw, "Riku" is the name of the world they're in here. It's Japanese for "land", so I thought it worked well enough. My first choice was actually calling it "Terra" (Latin for "Earth"), but I thought it and "Gaia" are used too much, so Riku it is. LOL.**

**And more will be revealed about the Archers soon;)**

**Hope you guys are doing well, and to "see" you tomorrow.**

**-Shanna**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"C'mon, Edward," says Alice, as she holds onto her surrogate brother's arm, and leads him to the center of town, where everyone's gathered to see just what the news station is reporting on.

Or, at least… that's what Edward thinks they're doing; everything that happened after Bella called Alice is a bit of a blur to him, but he knows something big has transpired: Something as big as the dream he'd had about crackers.

He hadn't- he hadn't talked in his sleep, like that, since-

Oh, it's no good! He can never remember what he needs to about his past. Even in- even in knowing how everything depends on him doing so.

"Alice!" comes a voice being carried to the duo from the direction of the forest (and just what Bella is doing near the forest, when everyone else is centered around the docks, is a mystery to Edward). But even so… Bella is still Edward's personal miracle. And though he can barely make sense of his own thoughts anymore, he can easily make out that Bella's brown, doe eyes are as beautiful as ever; he can see clearly that there's still a light alive in her eyes-something that can plainly be seen, even with her desire to forget certain things-and Edward wonders…

He wonders if Bella ever misses him, as much as he does her.

"Oh, I see you went home and got your I.D., Bella. That's probably a good decision, since people might blame you for this, since even more of our defenses are gone now, and… Well, I guess it's a good thing you have a badge, that will tell those losers where to put it."

After Alice says this, Edward notes that despite her heartfelt words, she's laughing nervously for whatever reason. So looking at her curiously for that, the teenager thinks for a moment about pointing out that those actions are going against her reassuring gesture-of holding onto Bella's arm-but pauses when Bella hastily explains:

"I just got word from Jacob, Alice; he tried to get a hold of your-would-be husband, but… Mike is gone. And what's more than that… is that unlike the other Archers, there's no evidence that he's died. I'm sorry, Alice, but it looks like he might have murdered his companions, and is now M.I.A."

And though Edward had just a moment ago thought on how Bella is his light, he now finds himself wishing that he'd thought the same of his sister, too. Maybe if he had… maybe she wouldn't have had to crumple to the ground in fresh sobs. Maybe she would have found some light even in the darkness…

**Author's Note: Wow. I'm so bad at sticking to my "one-hundred words a day rule". Oops. Hope y'all don't mind too much;)**

**Btw, Alice IS married to Mike in this story, but only for political reasons. We'll be getting some Jasper/Alice stuff soon enough; I promise you that. However, going along with the Mike thing, I think I WILL be developing some of the side characters more in this story. Though we'll still see plenty of the vamps, wolves, and Bella's family, of course.**

**Well… this chapter didn't exactly explain all that I wanted it to, but I guess that's what I get for writing from crazy!Edward's PoV. LOL. Anywho, more will be explained later (as well as why Edward's gone mad, and if he'll stay that way).**

**So, what do you all think of this? It's a far cry from my usual five-thousand plus words chapters, but what can I say? I'm trying a new writing style (and was burnt out from NaNoWriMo, so yeah). And it's… interesting to write in such small intervals, to say the least. But in some ways, I think it might be better. I update everyday this way; I can edit chapters more thoroughly, etc.**

**I should also probably mention this is the first time I've written in the presence tense in a long time…**

**Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying. Please review.**

**-Shanna**

**P.S. Should I ship Jacob/Renesmee in this story or Jacob/Leah? I ask because I know a lot of people have issues with the Jake/Nessie ship, and though I'm usually a canon writer, I might make an exception with this one, if enough people are bothered by it. Yeah…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

It's the day after Bella tells Alice of Mike's fate, that she begins thinking on all the things going wrong in the world.

As she sits in her purple colored bed—and contemplates just how she's going to have to try and explain herself to Charlie eventually—Bella picks up the purple jewel Edward had once given her, and tries to focus on the powers that Jacob had mentioned her having, the day previous.

If she were- if she were to be honest with herself, Bella would admit that she doesn't much believe in the possibility of prophetic dreams, but she also knows that the wards didn't fall down by themselves... And so Bella sits and contemplates.

But most of all... she mourns the loss of Mike, so that she might lighten Alice's load just the slightest bit.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"Oh, hey Bella..." Charlie splutters awkwardly, as he makes his way into Bella's room, catching his foot on the lip of the door, all the while.

As Bella looks up at her father with tired eyes, she becomes aware of quite a few things at once. For one thing, there's a light in Charlie's eyes, that seems to hint he has more to say than he's letting on, and that if he allowed it, his lips might spill the secrets, anyway.

But also, as Bella sees what a wreck she is reflected in Charlie's eyes, she understands that she must have gone through what the ancient tomes would have described as a "depression".

Irritated at that more than anything else, Bella's quick to snap at Charlie, and to want to throw the pizza he's brought her back at him. "You don't have to look at me like that, Charlie! I know I messed up. I know I-"

"Actually, Bells," Charlie interrupts his daughter, as he scoops up Bella's cat, Mountain Lion, and hands him to Bella to comfort her. "I was going to say that that jewel Edward got you is beautiful, if not slightly outlandish."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

_"Edward are you sure... are you sure you want to give me this? I've never seen such exquisite work in my life. This pendant resembles both an 's' and a 'j' simultaneously. Furthermore, it-"_

_"It resembles an outstretching hand?" Edward continues Bella's words, with a wry smile and slight chuckle, as he crosses over to her and holds her hand in his own. "That's exactly why I picked it out for you, Bella. I know- I know how much you wish you still didn't have blue eyes. And who knows? Maybe this reaching hand will bring that into your reach."_

_And though Bella very much wants to argue the point, she find she's completely unable to. There's just something in the way that Edward is smiling at her and being so sweet, that it… it sets her heart at ease._

_As it happens, it almost even makes her forget that she's supposed to be in love with him…_

_And as Bella looks at Edward feeling love in her that she can't even begin to name, their lives become as muddied as Bella's own eyes will soon become, via the jewel Edward had given her. And that would be... that would be the last time Edward was ever sane again._

**Author's Note: I don't want too spoil too much, but in this world, no one has blue eyes. Rather, they usually have dark eyes. And Bella... was an anomaly, until Edward gave her a purple jewel with magical properties, that makes her eyes muddy. Yeah... Also, there are some interesting things going on with Bella and her psyche, that you'll understand later;)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Charlie..." Bella asks, as she's pulled back from her reverie, and bites her lip so sharply that she draws blood. "You don't think that- you don't think this jewel's power somehow brought the wards down, do you? I mean-"

And before Bella can even attempt to stop herself, and get a handle on the emotions she's usually so good at masking, she's rushing into Charlie's arms. And then, she's imploring to him in a way she hasn't done since she was a child.

But in the end, her desire for reassurance isn't all it can be, because despite Charlie's fatherly and kindly words, Bella can see in his eyes that... that adults aren't supposed to have blue eyes, anymore than jewels are supposed to change iris' color.

Deciding then and there what she has to do, Bella strolls away from Charlie before he can restrain her and see the plan form in her eyes, and she plans to pack up to go on an adventure.

As Bella holds her jewel to her tightly—and prays she might destroy it, to set things right—she finds that though she wishes it hadn't done all it had, that... that she somehow can't bring herself to regret _it_, anymore than she can regret Edward and his having given it to her. Never.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Later on, Bella would remember how on the night that everything fell apart, she'd left Edward behind, when she needed him most.

Now, though, she can only focus on the dark night sky, and the gulls sounding off, heedless of the time of day it is.

As Bella crosses a barbed wire fence, preparing to sneak to the hilly capitol of Riku, Revayxes, she holds tight to the jewel that Edward had given her, and almost wishes she were at the focal point of the world now, so she could smash it into dust, and have the world change for the better through it

But alas, it is not meant to be. Just when she's climbed over the top of the fence, Bella finds that her leg has snagged onto one of the loose coils. And in the end, her sounds of trying to get it loose, and whimpers of pain, are enough to alert a nearby sentry of what she's up to.

Cursing herself for the fact she'd forgotten about the hole beneath the fence that she and Edward used to burrow through all the time as children, Bella stares down the barrel of a gun. And just when she hears the cocking of the hammer, she pulls up her jewel: preparing for it to shatter.

**Author's Note: And now I'm all caught up with updates. Woot! Sorry for being behind before, but you all know how the Holidays are, I'm sure. LOL.**

**And speaking of, I hope you guys are having a fantabulous Christmas season this far!**

**See you tomorrow, and sorry for the confusion you're all probably in, but this is a mystery, after all (and it'll make sense eventually)=D**

**Please review!**

**-Shanna**

**P.S. Bella's starting to remind me of Homura Akemi from the anime "Puella Magi Madoka Magica". Huh. There's a reason for it, though… Yeah.**

**P.P.S. The world in this story was formerly our own, but changes within it caused it to completely vary from it in Bella's time (kind of like what happens in The Hunger Games books, with their world, Panem).**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

For a moment, time seems to stand still for Bella, as the night gets darker and darker, and she can almost see the bullet starting to make its way towards her.

On instinct, she means to use her gem as a shield; with any luck the shell will shatter the rare jewel, before it reaches her. But even as she thinks this, Bella realizes it will not be.

But then, just as Bella's about to give up hope, the unthinkable happens. The gate she'd just stumbled over begins moving, as if it's on a rotating axis. And then as the fence rises up, and then down again rapidly—like a portcullis might have—Bella realizes that there's no way that the man who meant to kill her can harm her now.

In fact, the sentry's arm is beneath the wall he'd meant to protect, as well as the rest of his body. As Bella surveys the scene around her with confusion, she notes that the malfunctioning gate had acted much like a guillotine. And upon noting how tightly the sparse wires have wrapped around the man's throat, Bella knows she'll never have to see him again.

And as it happens, Bella doesn't know whether or not she should be happy it's not her blood staining the ground, or regretful that it's another's. In the end, she settles for begrudging respect, when she sees blond hair, eyes of gold, and a sinful sort of beauty.

It seems that Bella's former friend—the daughter of Jebra's mayor, Rosalie Hale—is rebelling yet again.

As she holds a bow and arrow in hand, Rosalie walks over to grace Bella with her presence, but Bella finds herself more concerned, that, "You saved me... you saved me for Edward's sake, didn't you, Rosalie? He must have found a way to contact you about what I was doing, and so you decided to be an avenging angel?"

To that, Rosalie only smiles, and explains how the man she'd just killed had wronged her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Bella doesn't really know what she expects, when she follows Rosalie into the military base that had almost taken her life, but it certainly isn't what she sees in the end.

Before Bella's very eyes is a long audience chamber in colors of red and white, that seemingly goes on forever, before it ends with a long table at the back of the room.

Also, to her right-existing right before the table-is a spiraling staircase that leads up to somewhere Bella can only begin to guess, but if the steps' grandeur are anything to go by, it undoubtedly leads somewhere magnificent, Bella decides.

And yet… it almost seems as though the splendor of the room's painting, stairs, and table have sucked away everything else from it, because save for them, the room is vacant save for a few columns that rise up to hug the ceiling.

Feeling more self-conscious about high walls than she ever has in her life, Bella decides to stay close to the mechanic, Rosalie, in case the platforms start moving with a vengeance again (even if Bella highly suspects that the malfunction that had killed the sentry before had been Rosalie's doing).

"Rose, do you mind telling me what you're bringing me-"

"Or better yet, Bella, why don't _you _tell me why dear Edward had me face my would-be-rapers, all in the name of saving you? I'm not complaining, mind you, but… you and I both know Edward's sanity is slipping more and more everyday. Why, it's an amazing feat that he could even contact me at all!"

For a moment, as Bella stands towards the entrance to the hall, with her arms crossed (not daring to go further into the well-to-do area, in fear of being struck by lightning by the "rich gods"), Bella thinks about asking Rosalie about why the men had tried to hurt her. But upon realizing she'd just get a vain answer from the heiress, she refrains.

However, as Bella ponders questioning Rose about how her mom had come into power, she realizes then and there that she needs to change the subject somehow and someway. As it is, Rosalie is treading into subjects Bella doesn't want to talk about at all, and-

"You wouldn't happen to know why that is, would you Bella?" Rosalie asks coyly, as she cocks her head to the side, and allows her blond hair to fall over her hair like spun silk.

No doubt, she's trying to make Bella feel inferior to her own beauty, and to try to get her to rise to the bait, but she doesn't. Instead, Bella says as calmly as she's able, "You already know more than you should, Rosalie, but that's not what I'm here to discuss. I need to go to the capitol in order to set things right. I think you know how and why, so will you help me or not?"

There's a minute pauses, as Rosalie undoubtedly thinks about Emmett, and what it could mean if she takes this mission and doesn't come back to him, but finally she says, "I'll help you."

**Author's Note: "Long" chapter is long, but I hope you guys are enjoying the story regardless. LOL. And thanks a bunch to ashleybull for adding this fic to your story alert. I truly appreciate all the support I'm getting from everyone, but don't forget you CAN review. LOL. I don't bite, I swear.**

**Also, I'd just like to mention that I don't think this story will have any love triangles in it. I'm sorry to disappoint anyone who loves them, but this just isn't that kind of story. In fact (at least right now) ****_any_**** sort of romance is a side plot to the main one. I hope no one minds…**

**Oh! Btw, this story is named for the song "Romeo and Cinderella" by Miku-tan on YouTube. It's a great song (though a bit dirty), that I'd suggest anyone check out. It has a cool story to it, and is quite catchy. And… the song might just fit somewhere into the plot of this, but I'm not telling;)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Bree isn't someone who would usually ask too many questions about something. But as she stands out of Ecoy Mountain, where a certain sort of power seems to be resonating, she can't help but wonder.

The stalactites in the cave, for instance, remind Bree a lot of what the strings from an archer's bow might look like. And after the news about the Archers being missing, Bree doesn't like that connection in the slightest.

So in the end, the tour guide sits with Diego, as they eat hamburgers-her weakness-and the two try to decide just what to do from here.

And as it happens, Bree might just eat a couple sticks of pocky, as they discuss, too. Maybe. "Do you think more people will come to this landmark today, to distract themselves from the messed up"

"I think the fact that this cave hasn't seen light in a millennia speaks for itself. Sorry, Bree. I don't think we're going to have any luck today. Or for a while."

And when Esme Cullen ends up calling her, Bree can't help but agree. This is a world where everyone wants to commit suicide, but isn't allowed it, after all. Such thoughts like that are even prohibited, so in the end, what kind of luck had she expected?

**Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry for not updating lately. Hopefully when the Holidays are over, I'll be better at it. See you all soon, and thanks for sticking to this story.**

**-Shanna**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

In the end, Bella's plan to go get climbing gear, and to continue on with her plan (after having had a conversation with Esme-Rosalie's mother-that Bella's still not too sure about), doesn't go the way she would have liked.

Though Bella's never been much of a literary major (as most books are hard to come by, as the government doesn't want people to get ideas of a better life they can't have), she's well aware that most adventurers in stories seem to start off unprepared.

Being quick to buy a sandwich with the money Rosalie had given to her, Bella had thought she was in good condition, when she ended up at the sporting store. That was until she was met with the face of Alice and Edward, however.

"Alice, what are you-"

SMACK, is the sound that vibrates along Bella's cheek, as Alice takes the initiative and strikes Bella like a cobra might have. Holding a hand to her face in shock, Bella's quick to want to try to explain things to Alice, but as it is, Edward doesn't let her. "Though I don't agree with her hitting you, I _do _think you need a reality check, Bella."

"What? Edward…" As it happens, Bella doesn't know what she's more shocked for: the fact that Edward is seeming to have a good day again, when it comes to his sanity, or that he seems to be thinking negative of her for once.

If she could, Bella would make sure that Edward was cruel to her all the time. After all, it wasn't more than she deserved. And yet… at the same time, Bella thought it was such thoughts that had Alice so cross with her at the moment.

As if to prove her point, Alice throws her hands up into the air exasperatedly-right when a well-to-do civilian spills out from the store-and exclaims, "You idiot! You never think anything through, Bella! And you leave us to follow you around in the dark. Look, I don't know the whole story, since _you_ won't tell me anything, and Edward's too loony to now. But let me guess: Edward gave you a gem charged with our planet's power. You, as and underprivileged and guilty feeling sort of girl, made some sort of wish to make your life better with its powers. But what you didn't know is that all magic comes with a price, and somehow it led to Edward's insanity.

"But through it all, he's not the only one to go mad, is he? Your sanity wavers more and more, as you deal with this all and blame yourself for it, when my idiot brother is just as much to blame as you are. And since your emotions-your wishes-have become tied with that rock: part of our earth, when your sanity starts to shatter, so does our very own world. Now you're on a suicide mission to go the capitol, to try and fix this, but what you don't realize is you're too stupid to get anything right, and that Edward's just as much a part of this as you are. You need him, Bella. Tell me you don't, and we'll be out of here right now."

Though there's nothing else in the world that Bella wants more, than to keep Edward safe after all she's done to him (which is actually partly why she's pulled away from him, even though she loves him: because she knows that to make up for what she's done, she needs to keep him safe, but she can't very well do that when she's going insane, whilst being around him), the logic that Bella's been fighting against the whole time wins out. Unfortunately, she does need Edward and Alice both.

And though there are things that the far-too-clever-Alice hasn't sorted out yet, the truth is she's right about much.

Still… Bella will protect Edward, and pay for her crimes, if it's the last thing she does.

**Author's Note: So, I'd like to thank the guest who reviewed my story, and gave me a bit of criticism. Seriously. That's the sort of thing I want and need as a writer (and my dream is to be a published author), so I can't thank you enough for your honesty. I addressed some of what you mentioned in here, so hopefully this makes more sense now?**

**Also, I'm sorry to anyone who's been confused until now. See? Part of the problem is that I write in a very Eastern style (and if you'll excuse my language, that pretty much means everything I write is a mindfuck, that'll be explained/make sense later).**

**However, I know something like that isn't accessible to everyone, and that sometimes I probably hold back too much (though thankfully, Alice addressed that here, like I knew she would when the time came. LOL.), so I'll try to be better about that now (and now you guys should basically know what the plot is, and what's happening, though there are still plenty of surprises in store).**

**But once again… I can't promise I won't go down that route again. I'll try to make it more understandable this time, but IDK. I just really like that style (mainly because I grew up on manga and anime). I mean, this IS a mystery. And there's something I like about having to really work to piece things together (because the clues ARE there, you just have to work harder to find them), and having it all hit you one day. I guess it's because it becomes more emotional when it all comes together for you at once, and also because it makes you feel smart. LOL.**

**But once again, I know that type of storytelling isn't for everyone, and I'll try to be less vague in the future. Though I've gotta tell you… it IS a bit hard saying all I want to in one-hundred word chapters, so I suppose that's my main challenge for this story, but I'll figure it out:)**

**See you all next time!**

**-Shanna**

**P.S. If anyone wants to see a good story in the style I've mentioned, look up "Celandines" by aradian nights. You probably can't understand it, unless you play "The World Ends With You", though. But it IS an AMAZING example of the style of writing I like. (Though unlike that story, this one will be finished, and all the chapters are actually in order. LOL.)**

**Also, the amazing anime "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" is another example of this style, which I recommend to EVERYONE. Madoka is one of the best/most touching things I've ever seen in my life, and is very much my obsession right now. The storytelling, themes, characters, and story are just magnificent, and I love how real it is. Everything comes together so seamlessly, and I often times can't believe it's only twelve thirty-minute episodes, but enough about that. (But seriously, everyone should watch that anime. It's a bit weird, but that's sort of the point of it. Also, I should probably mention that if you watch it, make sure you watch through the first three episodes, before you decide if you want to continue or not. Mainly, the anime doesn't really start until episode three, and if you stop there, you'll have a skewed idea about what Madoka is.) Anyway...**


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